PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

Why Browns’ Copycat Belichick Draft Approach Won’t Work

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Belichick Browns Draft

I wanted to write this after seeing this tweet from Rich Hill.

For those not familiar with the Red Paperclip strategy , it began when a Canadian blogger, Kyle McDonald, bartered his way from a red paperclip to a house in 14 trades. Amazing. We’ve seen this idea in sports, recently with former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie, who was unceremoniously fired after 3 years of racing to the bottom accumulating assets all the way. The point of his strategy was to win a trade with no eye on the present success in pursuit of the accumulation of more valuable future assets.

Enter the 2016 Cleveland Browns who are fire sale-ing anything not nailed down in an attempt to acquire assets, using a largely analytical approach. In a piece in the Cleveland.com, Dan Labbe made the correlation between the Hinkie’s plan and Sashi Browns, urging fans to be patient with “The Process”.

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Tuesday Pats Roundup

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So much in motion these days it’s hard to stay on top of it all. And just after you write someone off as retiring or getting traded they unretire or their trade is negated when they fail a physical. Yes, I look forward to things next week, when we get back on a firm schedule and the roster movement is more contained.

Of course that won’t be the case this weekend, when there’s a good chance the Pats add some player currently on another roster who steps in and immediately plays a significant role. No, that player isn’t on anyone’s 53-man roster projection right now, and that’s what always makes Labor Day weekend so exciting.

Except when it’s something like Richard Seymour getting traded to the Raiders.

Here’s a catch up of everything that’s been going down and a rough guess at who the roster locks are right now.

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A First Look at DJ Foster

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLnJvy7EjVQ

Going into this season, my biggest positional concern for the Patriots that went entirely unaddressed in any major way was running back. Some people had concerns about depth at tackle, some had concerns about depth at linebacker.

We all know that Dante Scarnecchia is back to coach the offensive line, and part of the tackle depth problem last year was that the actual depth also kept getting hurt. At linebacker, there’s some less-proven talent added, but two former first round picks, in Shea McClellin and Barkevious Mingo, plus a sixth round pick in this year’s draft with Kamu Grugier-Hill.

Running back, however, was not addressed in any major way or on any nationally televised stage.

The moves: Donald Brown (already cut), and undrafted free agent DJ Foster. I’ve been pretty high on Foster’s potential since various camp footage had surfaced, along with seeing him in person at the practice inside Gillette Stadium. Foster hadn’t played in any preseason games this season before week 3, when he finally got on the field in the third quarter.

Did he set the world on fire? No. Did he show some promise? Yes. Let’s take a look.

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Launch The Cannon(s)

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Guys, Marcus Cannon is good.

I know, I know, I know…but hear me out. I looked at the tape. I looked at when he played in 2011 as a rookie. I watched him when he played in the Dave DeGuglielmo (spelled that without having to look it up thank you very much) offense where they were rotated in and out like a clock and I watched him this preseason back under the legendary Dante Scarnecchia. He’s good.

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Sunday Almost-Fun Day: Pats Leftovers

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Two weeks from today, the New England Patriots will take the field in Arizona to face the Cardinals and get their 2016 campaign under way. Yes, the excitement is palpable.

As I touched on in the Posits after the game, I kind of find it funny how there’s a sizable portion of the fanbase, fanned by many voices in the local media, freaking out about Jimmy Garoppolo. It’s four games people. The Patriots season will not be lost or broken in those four games unless there’s a season-ending injury to someone important.

Garoppolo won’t be perfect, but he should play safe enough to keep every game winnable. Yes, the defenses he’ll face are all pretty good. But you also have to like how the Patriots’ defense matches up with the opposing offenses. And let’s remember the Pats have started 2-2 in two of the last four seasons, WITH BRADY.

All I really care about is the team that we’ll take into the playoffs, so all this freaking out about Garoppolo seems pointless. And again, if he doesn’t turn the ball over, the Pats will have a chance to win every game.

Here’s some holdover thoughts after re-watching Panthers game…

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Pats Posits: Good Luck Once Brady Comes Back

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Hip hip hooray the Patriots made it through the third preseason game without any injuries!

Oh and they beat the Panthers 19-17 too.

Jimmy Garoppolo played the first three series, Tom Brady played the next four, then Garoppolo returned for three more. Jacoby Brissett came in to finish things off late in the third quarter. I’m sure the radio airwaves in Boston will find a way to complain about Brady playing too much or too little or too early or too late, but I sure enjoyed seeing #12 out there.

At this point, any game with Brady is a gift so I just try to enjoy it and hope he doesn’t get hurt.

Brady had a vintage, pinpoint 33-yard touchdown to Chris Hogan. It’s a very good start for an important new piece of the offense, and a nice reminder that Brady isn’t suddenly throwing Peyton Manning ducks.

Jimmy Garoppolo was 9 of 15 for 57 yards. No TDs. No picks. This performance will be under the microscope the next two weeks leading up to Arizona so get ready to hear it analyzed into the dirt. PFF won’t be kind. The Pats are dead meat.

But all the “analysis” about Brady’s playing time or Garoppolo’s competence loses the forest for the trees. The forest is that the big bad New England Patriots football machine that we’ll see from October on looks more ready than ever to tear shit up.

That’s what I prefer to think about.

Here are the Posits.

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Review/Preview: 5 Things We Watched & 5 Things to Watch

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Before I begin my “What we watched, what to watch piece”, I just want to ask a question, I know we’re all hopped up on outrage about the latest whatever, but seriously, can everyone chill the f— out?

In the last week, there’s been plenty of unnecessary spikes in blood pressure for Patriots fans.

First, it was the Dion and Vollmer news. Driving to work, I received texts that read simply: “Dion.” Then right after. “Vollmer.” I jumped on Twitter, nearly crashing my car, assuming both players had murder/suicided each other.

For perspective, read Mike’s piece. My take: Vollmer has been injured a lot in his professional career, so the team has prepared for this eventuality and likely think Cannon (under Scar) can fill in capably. And Dion Lewis was coming back from an ACL that he tore November 8th last year. While we’ve been spoiled by quicker returns (see Alien Gronk), it can take up to a year to return from ACL surgery and with a setback Lewis will be back within a calendar year.

Then there’s the absurd press conference hubbub to explain Brady’s absence over the last few days. Obviously there’s nothing to see here, but that doesn’t stop the Hucksters from hucking. The hucksters of Boston are numerous, but just as numerous are the smart objective and analytical takes that you can find on any number of sites, and certainly at Pats Propaganda with Mike and the rest of our crew. Just because we’re addicted, doesn’t mean we need to go buy the cheap stuff under the bridge.

Just a reminder, the Patriots made it to the AFCCG game last year (and nearly won) without either Lewis or Vollmer. Let’s all take our beta-blockers, a hit on the hookah and remember that Brady and Belichick nearly won a Super Bowl with Reche Caldwell as the primary weapon. Reche Caldwell!

Thanks for indulging: On to what we watched and what to watch…

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